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Former Wolf shines on Florida gridiron

July 18, 2021 by David Svien

Former Wolf Gabe Shaw hoists a trophy in Florida. (Photos courtesy Gabe Shaw, Sr.)

The line celebrates together.

He’s not a Wolf anymore, but he’s still a winner.

Gabe Shaw, who will be a senior at Clay High School in Florida this fall, kicked off his final season of prep football in style.

The standout lineman and his teammates stared down players from 15 other area schools to win the Clay/Duval Big Man Challenge, hosted by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The National Football League franchise brought together the schools to give them a chance to face-off with rivals they might not play during the season.

Skills position players competed in 7 vs 7 games, while the linemen went toe-to-toe (and muscle to muscle) in strength events.

There was a medicine ball throw, weighted carry, a low sled push relay, and a tug of war.

Clay, a 5A school, went 9-2 last season, falling in its third playoff game.

The Blue Devils opened the postseason with 43-0 and 35-0 wins over Leesburg and Atlantic (Port Orange), respectively, before coming up on the short end of the stick 38-7 to Vanguard.

Shaw spent his first season in the Sunshine state pulling double duty, working as an offensive tackle and defensive end.

During his days in Coupeville, the two-way starter played football and basketball.

As a sophomore, Shaw was a crucial part of the first Wolf gridiron squad to post a winning record since 2005.

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Lippo, Llamas still cream of the crop

July 17, 2021 by David Svien

Joey Lippo (left), Skyy Lippo, and James Besaw have a reunion. (Teresa Besaw photo)

Always be ready.

Coupeville grad Joey Lippo had a busy weekend on the baseball diamond, showcasing his fleet feet, while also getting an unexpected chunk of work on the mound.

Friday, the former Wolf dashed home from third on a short pop-up in the ninth inning, tying the game and giving his Lynnwood Llamas hardball squad new life.

Once in extra innings, Lippo and Co. pulled out an 11-10 win over the Salem Salamanders in Cascade Collegiate League action.

While the victory, Lynnwood’s 13th of the summer, clinches a winning record for the Llamas, Saturday’s follow-up didn’t go quite as nicely.

Primed to play a doubleheader with the Salamanders, Lynnwood found itself in a bit of a bind when none of the team’s pitchers showed.

As in … absolutely none.

But after flipping some players around, including bringing Lippo in from center field to pitch, the Llamas put up a spirited fight while falling 6-2 and 3-2.

The losses drop Lynwood to 13-4 on the season, but the team remains atop the league standings.

Lippo threw five innings, scattering four hits while whiffing four Salamanders and giving up just a lone walk.

At the plate, he picked up a pair of hits, knocked in a run, and scored one during the weekend series.

The wood bat-using Cascade Collegiate League, which draws players from NCAA and NAIA schools, is a six-team conference with a 24-game schedule which runs between June and August.

Lippo will be a sophomore at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Posted in Baseball, Wolves in college | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Soccer family needs our help

July 17, 2021 by David Svien

Lillian and Amanda Stanwood

A nasty three-car accident Thursday has left a Coupeville family in need.

Amanda Stanwood, and her daughter Lillian, were hit in a head-on collision on Highway 20 in the vicinity of Dugualla Bay after another driver crossed the centerline.

Their car was pinned against the guardrail after the accident, and Amanda was one of three people involved transported to the hospital.

Seaside Spa and Salon owner Aaron Wiley, who is a family friend, posted this earlier today:

 

If you’re from Coupeville and a soccer family, chances are you know the Stanwood’s.

They personally mean a lot to me (Aaron) because they have been like family to my daughter and I since Emma was in diapers.

Their home has been her home away from home whenever she needed it, and our daughters will most certainly be lifelong friends. It’s just that kind of a bond.

Mandi & Lily were in that horrible wreck on North Whidbey this last Thursday. Hit head-on by an uninsured motorist who they think fell asleep at the wheel.

This family is the NICEST family I’ve ever met. They would give anyone the shirt off their backs and every last dime they had if someone was in need.

Mandi’s husband volunteers as a soccer coach and Mandi spends her time taking care of their household and helping all of her friends out when any of us are in a pinch with childcare.

They pour as much as they can into soccer for their daughter because it’s her outlet and is one of the things that has kept this sweet child sane through a terrible couple of years.

They travel off-Island multiple times a week for soccer camps and tournaments.

Now they are without a vehicle and not a lot of hope after this horrific car wreck that they miraculously walked away from … beaten up, cut up, bruised and shaken, but alive ❤️.

The paramedics were astounded they weren’t hurt any more than they were.

Please help them if you can. They need to purchase a car.

Thankfully they have been lent a vehicle to use temporarily from a friend until they can buy their own.

They need the stress taken off.

They may need help with medical bills because it’s unknown right now what their health insurance will cover.

Their car insurance was minimal and they don’t know what, if anything, it will cover to help them replace their car.

These are wonderful people and could really use some community support right now.

 

To help, pop over to:

Fundraiser by Melissa Talcott : Help the Stanwoods Recover from an Accident (gofundme.com)

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“I want to keep getting better!”

July 17, 2021 by David Svien

Jada Heaton (left) and Mia Farris, ready to rock the softball diamond. (Jennifer Heaton photo)

“I have a great group of friends I play softball with. Every year we strive to be better.”

That’s working out quite nicely for Jada Heaton, as she and her playing companions have done exactly that — get progressively stronger and more-talented with each season.

The group has piled up wins, captured district titles, and made runs at the state tourney as little leaguers, capped by a recent fourth-place finish at the big dance in Vancouver while playing as the Whidbey Island All-Star juniors squad.

Along the way, a quick scan of photos shows Heaton almost always wearing a huge smile while in action, whether spraying hits at the plate or chasing down long bombs to the outfield.

“Get back here, you!” Heaton pulls off a Willie Mays-style catch near the outfield wall. (Jackie Saia photo)

The young star on the rise derives a great deal of joy from her time on the field, and her time spent with a close-knit group of friends.

“Softball is my favorite, because I’ve been playing since I was little,” Heaton said. “I like playing sports with my friends as a team. Win or lose. Trying to always get better.”

Now, with her little league days having come to an end after big wins at the state tourney over teams from Puyallup and Mukilteo, she’s on the path to beginning a new career as an athlete.

Heaton will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, and plans to play volleyball, basketball, and softball for the Wolves.

“I’m excited to play them all in high school,” she said. “I want to keep getting better; hopefully letter in all three of those sports.”

“Hand me my bat, ladies. Mama has to go wreck some fools!” (Jackie Saia photo)

Athletics keep Heaton hopping — “Not much time for anything besides sports,” she said with a laugh — but she did have a great time in one particular class.

“I enjoyed working on the middle school yearbook,” she said. “Hoping I will be on the yearbook staff for high school.”

In everything she does, Heaton leans on those close to her for positive reinforcement.

“My family is always supporting me,” she said. “I (also) have an amazing group of friends.

“Most of us have been together since preschool,” Heaton added. “I am thankful for their friendship.”

Regardless of which of her sports she’s playing at a given moment, she always tries to approach things with a can-do outlook.

“One of my strengths as an athlete would be my attitude,” Heaton said. “I try hard to encourage my teammates.

“I also listen to my coaches good and bad. Learn from what they are telling me,” she added. “I will work 110% and not give up. Working hard, but also having fun doing it.”

The happy warrior. (Corinn Parker photo)

Posted in Basketball, Softball, Volleyball | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Big bat, big dreams

July 16, 2021 by David Svien

Taylor Brotemarkle, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, is a high-achiever with a bright future. (Jackie Saia photo)

Taylor Brotemarkle has big dreams.

The Coupeville High School freshman-to-be is coming off a very-successful trip to the state tourney with the Whidbey Island All-Star juniors softball team.

Brotemarkle and her squad, which included seven girls each from Coupeville and Oak Harbor, rolled to a district title, then split four games at the big dance, finishing fourth out of eight teams.

As the Inferno eliminated teams from Puyallup and Mukilteo, a key player, on both offense and defense, was their go-go sparkplug.

A three-sport athlete who loves the animated super hero film Incredibles 2, hanging out with her pack of close friends, and attending language arts class, she’s part of a very-promising group from the CHS Class of 2025.

Now, as Brotemarkle gets ready for the next stage of her school days, she has a bold plan in place for her high school athletic career.

“(I want) to win a state title for softball,” she said.

“I dare you to throw that ball, sister!” (Jackie Saia photo)

Don’t doubt her commitment to the cause, as Brotemarkle has already shown a strong work ethic, and a high desire to achieve.

The young star, who delights in “the memories I get to make, and the competitiveness” of being an athlete, hails a future teammate and a current coach with a close personal connection for their help along the way.

“My friend Bella (Whalen) has helped me grow so much as an athlete, as well as my mom, (Kimberly), who is one of my softball coaches,” Brotemarkle said.

Mom and daughter celebrate winning a district softball title in 2019. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

After playing volleyball, basketball, and softball through middle school, she plans to “definitely stick with softball as well as volleyball” in high school.

While she enjoys, and excels, in all of her activities, Brotemarkle would choose diamond life as her #1 path.

“Softball (is my favorite), because I have one of the most amazing groups of girls for a team,” she said. “And they make it so much fun, and we have made such great memories.”

Posted in Softball, Volleyball | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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